Ics Vortex

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Norway’s ICS Vortex, who released their extremely versatile and highly acclaimed debut album “Storm Seeker” last year via Century Media Records, will be touring in their native Norway together with Susperia and Rendezvous Point throughout November 2012 – January 2103.

Former Dimmu Borgir and current Borknagar/Arcturus member ICS Vortex has checked in to comment as follows about the tour: “Susperia and ICS Vortex are taking Rendezvous Point out for a melodic metal ride covering four winter weekends around Norway. Experience dark freezing Norway through a warm night of illuminating metal!”.

After ICS Vortex debuted on stage earlier this year at the Finnish Metal Expo and at Farmer Fest 2012 in Spain, the upcoming shows see the band continue the promotional activities in support of their debut album, “Storm Seeker”, before moving over to start writing the sophomore album. Here is a list of all tour dates of the “Frozenpulsar” Tour of Norway 2012/2013:

ICS Vortex’s “Storm Seeker” debut album was recorded at Norwegian Toproom Studio (Mayhem, Tristania, Borknagar, etc.) with engineer Børge Finstad and mastered in Sweden by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid Studio (Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Dimmu Borgir, etc.). The album was released worldwide via Century Media Records and is available in Europe as limited edition Digipak CD, standard jewel case CD, 180g. LP version (black, grey and blue vinyl) and also as Digital Download. The album entered the charts in the band’s native Norway for 4 consecutive weeks, with a highest position at # 54. “Storm Seeker” received massive press acclaim, amongst others scoring a 10/10 review in Metal Hammer (Norway), 8/10 in Rock Hard (Germany) and 14/15 in Legacy (Germany).

If you haven’t checked out the “Storm Seeker” album yet, follow the links below to listen to some of its tracks:
“The Blackmobile”:

SUSPERIA takes a break from writing songs for the next full length album and embarks on a full Norwegian tour with friends in ICS VORTEX. The tour covers venues from the far north to down south and all corners of the country will get to see this joint venture.

Dates can be seen on the tour flyer below:

Susperia will headline the first ever Night Of The Living Dead Festival in Portugal on January 19th, 2013.

Other bands scheduled to play include: NUKLEAR INFEKTION, TERROR EMPIRE, ENCLAVEMENT, SOLID SPECTRUM, and DARK OATH. Further details are forthcoming.

Norway’s ICS Vortex, who released the extremely versatile and highly acclaimed debut album “Storm Seeker” in August 2011 via Century Media Records, has made the band’s live-debut at this weekend’s prestigious Finnish Metal Expo in Helsinki.

The live band’s line-up for the event has now been revealed to be as follows:
ICS Vortex – guitar/vocal
Jens Ryland – guitar
Steinar Gundersen – bass
Baard Kolstad – drums

Former Dimmu Borgir and current Borknagar/Arcturus member ICS Vortex has checked in to comment as follows: “My buddy Asgeir Mickelson recently (and undramatically) handed over the drums to Baard Kolstad. I was not planning on guitar work live, but since Terje Andersen’s duties elsewhere for the second time collided with ICS Vortex, we decided together that it is was best to let go and part as friends.”

ICS Vortex have also taken part of a special signing session at FME (at the Century Media booth) on Friday, February 17th at 6:15 PM. The stage time for their show is 9:15 PM – 10 PM, just before Paradise Lost and Edguy. More details can be found HERE!

Next to this debut gig at FME, ICS Vortex have also confirmed to be appearing as headlining act on the Farmer Fest 2012 in Bigues i Riells / Barcelona on September 1st, 2012, marking the band’s debut show in Spain. Here are the upcoming shows of ICS Vortex:

ICS Vortex’s “Storm Seeker” debut album was released worldwide via Century Media Records and is available as limited edition Digipak CD, 180g. LP version (black, grey and blue vinyl) and also as Digital Download. The album entered the charts in the band’s native Norway for 4 consecutive weeks, with a highest position at # 54. “Storm Seeker” received massive press acclaim, amongst others scoring a 10/10 review in Metal Hammer (Norway), 8/10 in Rock Hard (Germany) and 14/15 in Legacy (Germany).

If you haven’t checked out the “Storm Seeker” album yet, follow the links below to listen to some of the tracks included on this extremely versatile record:

ICS Vortex’s debut album is a havoc of varied metal and takes the musical elements from his +10 years experience with Dimmu Borgir as well as the legacy of the classic bands with whom he is still active (Borknagar, Arcturus and Lamented Souls), topping things off with his signature clean vocals in order to make “Storm Seeker” become a perfectly balanced axe, whether a song is cutting fast, or dicing slow. “Storm Seeker” features appearances by Borknagar teammate Asgeir Mickelson on drums and also Terje “Cyrus” Andersen (Susperia, ex Dimmu Borgir) contributing some lead guitars. The album was recorded at Norwegian Toproom Studio (Mayhem, Tristania, Borknagar, etc.) with engineer Børge Finstad and mastered in Sweden by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid Studio (Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Dimmu Borgir, etc.).

– GHOUL PATROL, ODDLAND and ARTIFICIAL HEART to complete the line up
– Schedule now online on the Program page
– FINNISH METAL AWARDS – vote now

Helsinki Metal Meeting / Finnish Metal Expo taking place at the Cable Factory in Helsinki, Finland during February 17-18. has completed the 2012 roster.

Last pieces of the puzzle are all Finnish new comers: death ‘n’ roll group GHOUL PATROL, ODDLAND who are about to release their debut album via Century Media, and metalcore outfit ARTIFICIAL who were recently signed to Spinefarm Records.

FINNISH METAL AWARDS
Finnish Metal Awards voting will award the best Finnish metal of 2011. FMA gala will take place at the Cable Factory Main Stage on Saturday Feb 18. You can now vote for your favorite Finnish Metal Artists at www.imperiumi.net/index.php?act=fma.

Former DIMMU BORGIR and current BORKNAGAR member ICS Vortex (real name: Simen Hestnæs) will handle the lead vocals on the upcoming debut album from GOD OF ATHEISTS, the Norwegian extreme metal project led by Asgeir Mickelson (SARKE, SPIRAL ARCHITECT, BORKNAGAR, TESTAMENT). Drums on the CD were recorded by Trym (EMPEROR, ZYKLON, ENSLAVED), while the rhythm guitars were laid down by Mickelson.
Commented Asgeir: “GOD OF ATHEISTS is the extreme metal project which I wrote most of the music for in 2008. One song were originally written for BORKNAGAR back in 2004, but was never finished, so I rewrote it and it’s now way too brutal for BORKNAGAR‘s style. The overall style is kind of ‘Norwegian black metal done death metal.’ It’s brutal but also very melodic.

“Both Mr. Vortex and I are looking forward to work on this album the upcoming months, and I’m sure Vortex‘s awesome vocal style will add a new dimension to the songs. I just need to write some venomous lyrics first… Thankfully, there’s a lot of venom in my head…”

He added, “And if you like a project with Trym, Vortex and me, I think you will like the other musicians who’ve agreed to play on it.”

This week marked the worldwide release of ICS VORTEX’s “Storm Seeker” album. This stunning opus is available as limited edition Digipak CD, 180g. LP version (black, grey and blue vinyl) and also as Digital Download!

Furthermore, on Wednesday, August 24, the new issue of Metal Hammer Germany was published including a special issue dedicated to Metallica’s black album plus a tribute CD compilation. A sample of ICS VORTEX’s version of “Don’t Tread On Me” can be heard here: http://www.metal-hammer.de/sonderheft

ICS VORTEX’s debut album is a havoc of varied metal and takes the musical elements from his +10 years experience with Dimmu Borgir as well as the legacy of the classic bands with whom he is still active (Borknagar, Arcturus and Lamented Souls), topping things off with his signature clean vocals in order to make “Storm Seeker” become a perfectly balanced axe, whether a song is cutting fast, or dicing slow. “Storm Seeker” features appearances by Borknagar teammate Asgeir Mickelson on drums and also Terje “Cyrus” Andersen (Susperia, ex Dimmu Borgir) contributing some lead guitars. The album was recorded at Norwegian Toproom Studio (Mayhem, Tristania, Borknagar, etc.) with engineer Børge Finstad and mastered in Sweden by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid Studio (Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Dimmu Borgir, etc.).

“Odin’s Tree”, a brand new song from Norway’s ICS VORTEX, the project led by the former DIMMU BORGIR and current BORKNAGAR member, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off ICS VORTEX‘s debut album, “Storm Seeker”, which will be released on August 22 in Europe and August 23 in North America via Century Media Records.

ICS Vortex describes “Storm Seeker” as “a tribute to the fall and rise of my kind. A generation of misfits, born of hippies and raised by Satan.”

Regarding the influences that went into the making of the album, ICS Vortex said, “Inspiration is usually drawn from the things that are close to me. I always write in code, it’s often doom related, but never ever whiny. The power of the elements, obscure beauty, religion, death and junk are a few favorites. Knowing I am drawn to the power of the dark side, I decided to include lighter topics into the mix this time to separate ‘Storm Seeker’ from ‘Sideshow Symphonies’: ‘The Blackmobile’ about Mopar and ‘Aces’ about gambling are the result. Love songs, really.”

“The Blackmobile” can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Commented ICS Vortex: “This song was written way back when I still felt black metal was dangerous. Now, totally untrue to all that, it’s a tribute to the only beast I ever loved.”

“Storm Seeker” will be released in Europe as initial limited-edition digipak, 180-gram LP and as a digital download. According to a press release, the CD “takes the musical elements from [ICS Vortex‘s] 10-plus years of experience with DIMMU BORGIR as well as the legacy of the classic bands with whom he is still active (BORKNAGAR, ARCTURUS and LAMENTED SOULS), topping things off with his signature clean vocals in order to make ‘Storm Seeker’ become a perfectly balanced axe, whether a song is cutting fast, or dicing slow.”